As the demand increases for varying types of applications within mobile telecommunications networks, service providers must constantly upgrade their systems in order to reliably provide this expanded demand. What was once a system designed simply for voice communication has grown into an all-purpose network, providing access to a myriad of applications that include combinations of text messaging, multimedia streaming, and general Internet access. As seen in second and third generation networks, voice services must be carried over dedicated voice channels and directed toward a circuit-switched core, while other services are transmitted via the Internet Protocol (IP) and directed to a different, packet-switched core. This led to unique problems regarding application provision, metering and charging, and quality of experience (QoE) assurance.
In an effort to simplify the dual core approach of the second and third generations, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has recommended a new network scheme it calls Long Term Evolution (LTE). In an LTE network, all communications are carried over an IP channel from user equipment (UE) to an all-IP core called the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). The EPC then provides gateway access to other networks while ensuring an acceptable QoE and charging a subscriber for the QoS resources for their particular network activity.
The 3GPP describes the components of the EPC and their interactions with each other in a number of technical specifications. Specifically, 3GPP TS 29.212, 3GPP TS 29.213, and 3GPP TS 29.214, which are incorporated herein by reference, describe the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), and Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF) of the EPC. These specifications further provide some guidance as to how these elements interact in order to provide reliable data services and charge subscribers for use thereof.
For example, 3GPP TS 29.212 provides guidance on the role of the PCRF in issuing policy and control charging (PCC) rules to the PCEF and Quality of Service (QoS) rules to the BBERF. 3GPP TS 29.212 specifies that the PCRF shall provide PCC and QoS rules in response to requests from the PCEF, the BBERF, or an Application Function (AF). The PCRF can use these rules to provision network resources in accordance with operator defined network policy. 3GPP TS 29.212 further specifies the format of requests and the provisioning of rules to the PCEF and BBERF. 3GPP TS 29.212 also specifies that there may be errors which prevent the PCEF or BBERF from successfully implementing rules provisioned by the PCRF. It specifies how the PCEF or BBERF should report these errors. 3GPP TS 29.212 also specifies the format for reporting other events such as termination of IP-CAN sessions and bearers.
The specifications describe several problems that may occur after the PCRF issues new rules. For example, the installation or activation of a new rule may fail because of a resource limitation or failure to allocate resources. Additionally, implementing new rules may cause the PCEF or BBERF to drop previous connections to free up resources for a higher priority connection, this is referred to as pre-emption. These types of errors result in a failure to provide service and subscriber frustration.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a more robust method of allocating resources. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a method for allocating resources while reducing the number of failures in installing or activating the rules and the number of dropped connections.